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Denominationalism: Goodwill or Illwind by Yemi Olakitan

Denominationalism: For good or ill

 

 Pope Francis

YEMI OLAKITAN

      Christendom today has experienced denominationalism more than any other religion in the world.  According to the World English Dictionary, denominationalism is a sectarian spirit or policy or the division into denominations or sects. Denominationalism is the inclination of religious groups to experience schisms and separate into different groups over disagreements about doctrinal matters. In the Bible, it was the will of the Lord Jesus Christ that Christians should remain a united, indivisible unit, operating in love since love is the basis of the Christian faith.  Jesus prayed, ‘‘Holy Father; keep through your name those whom, you have given me that they may be one as we are. John 17:11. ‘‘I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in us , that the world may believe that You sent Me.’’ John 17:20,21.  However, over the years, Christianity has been divided into numerous denominations.  The questions arise; how beneficial is this to the body of Christ? Is the denominationalism the path of the Lord?  Shouldn’t all Christian denominations come together? What are the causes of denominationalism in a religion of love?

History revealed that in the first century, there was only one church, the Roman Catholic Church which was the earliest.  After the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the Jewish Christian movement was scattered and under heavy persecution.  The Roman Empire legally recognized Pauline Christianity as a valid religion in 313 AD. Later in that century, in 380 AD, Roman Catholicism became the official religion of the Roman Empire. During the following 1000 years, Catholics were the only people recognized as Christians. Roman Catholicism was then, the only Christian denomination on earth.  

In 1054 AD, a formal split occurred between the Roman Catholic and other Orthodox churches. This division remains in effect till today. The next major division occurred in the 16th century with the Protestant Reformation under Martin Luther. Protestantism is one of the three major branches of Christianity, along with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. It shares with all other Christians’ core beliefs in the doctrines of Trinity and the divinity of Jesus, the necessity salvation and the centrality of Jesus' death and resurrection.  Protestantism came from the split with Roman Catholicism during the Reformation in the 16^th century.  Led by Martin Luther, John Calvin and others, the reformers broke from the Roman Catholic Church due to abusive ecclesiological structures and theological differences. Protestants share an adherence to the centrality of scripture as well as a doctrine of salivation in Christ Jesus.

Different Protestant denominations have to varying degrees maintained or rejected Roman Catholic forms of worship. Anglican and Lutheran churches have maintained liturgies and rituals similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church, whereas other denominations, such as Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and United Church of Christ, have developed less liturgical forms of worship. Most Protestants practice baptism and communion as key rites of Christian initiation and ongoing devotion. Though originating in Europe, Protestant Christianity has spread all over the world through missionary activity and has members from nearly every country, race, and ethnicity.

 Those who remained faithful to Roman Catholicism believed that the central regulation of doctrine by church leaders was necessary to prevent confusion and division within the church and corruption of its beliefs.  However under the leadership of Martin Luther, the protestant movement also had disagreements on issues of doctrines and different denomination began to emerge as well. Today, Christianity has seen an outpouring of countless churches and denominations with different doctrines and practices though all believe in the Lordship of the Lord Jesus and the infallibility of the Gospel.  

In Nigeria alone, there are hundreds denominations as there are different faces of human beings. Every day, there is a massive proliferation of churches and denominations. People receive callings and set up their own churches in their living rooms, church movements had been created in shops. Why does this happen?  Why are there so many denominations? Why can't Christian groups simply agree to disagree and remain part of a single organization? Is this good for the body of Christ? Does it help the advancement of the kingdom of God?

      

In a chat with Pastor Dimeji Isaac of the Christ Temple, Lekki, Lagos, he said, social forces: class, racial and ethnic groups, regional divisions, and nationalism often lead to split in Christendom. According to him, it is good for churches to remain under one denomination, however, the differences in human outlook, the difficulty in administration and the stubbornness of people will make it difficult for Christianity to operate under one denomination. Speaking further, he said, ‘‘the main thing is that we are all followers of our Lord Jesus and we believe that the Bible is the word of God. These are the things that qualify one to be Christian. If we all obey the word of God and follow the commandments of our Lord Jesus, then it does not matter the denomination as long as Christ is preached’’ he said.

        Deaconess Shola Abimbola of the Global Church of the Living God does not share this opinion. According to her denominationalism is from the devil.  ‘‘We are serving the same God. Why should we be separated into different denominations?  Jesus preached love. It is clear from the scriptures that he wanted his followers to remain united as one. It is greed, individual ambitions, rather than the love of God that lead the Churches into various denominations, It is clearly not of God,’’ She said and she marveled at the number of denominations in Christendom today.   Deacon Ola Philip opined that denomination is not a barrier as far as we are serving the living God.   ‘‘When you look at it from the beginning, prophet- hood started from Noah, to Abraham  and the same God that called Moses, also called Samuel and they never  said the God that called them was different. They all came with harmonious teachings and that’s why the word of God is the same. In that sense denominationalism is not bad at all.

On the cause of denominationalism, he said, ‘‘Jesus said that in the last days, there will be many false prophets. They are all in town today. Each one of them called themselves Founder or General Overseer and brings up doctrines that suits them, that is why we have different denominations. Fake prophets contribute to denominationalism. Christ says that, there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.’’ Ephesians 4:4-6

In another chat with Pastor Tolu Fowotade of the Mountain and Fire and Miracles Ministry, he said that denominationalism can be beneficial. It is not a problem at all. According to him, the word of God is a mystery and it speaks differently to people with different meanings. According to what God wants to say to them and their level of relationship with him.  One denomination cannot help the advancement of Christianity.  Jesus had twelve disciples, they do not reason the same way. When the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, they were given diverse gifts and callings by the same spirit.  The Holy Spirit operates in different dimensions to different people and gives different gifts, different focus, and diverse operations by the same God.  This is why there are different denominations.  The word of God is so deep and full of meanings so denomination is not a problem at all. It is a reflection of the diversity of the gifts and callings of God’’ he said.

Speaking further, pastor Tolu said, ‘‘if a man of God is teaching a topic from the Bible, let’s say, he is speaking about the story of the woman with the issue of blood. He teaches the word according to the way the Holy Spirit lead him to teach it. Another man of God will pick the same topic and the same scripture and teach it from a different perspective and the congregation will still be blessed. Therefore, though the spirit is one there are diverse operations. It is not possible to operate under one denomination,’’ he said.   

Funmilola Jacobs of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, said, ‘‘denomination is unavoidable because Christianity has become the greatest religion in the world. It has spread farther than any other religion known to mankind. This spread could not have been possible without the efforts of different denominations, ministry, callings and missions in the body of Christ which are all working towards the same goal which is to spread the gospel and bring humanity into repentance. If we remove denominationalism from the history of Christianity, I do not think that we could have gone this far. Take Africa for example, it was the efforts of missionaries from various denominations such as the Catholic Church, the Methodist Church and the Anglican Church, the Lutheran Church all working in various fields that brought the light of Christianity to Africa. I don’t even think that one denomination is capable of taking the gospel to the whole world as Christ commanded. Denominationalism in my own opinion is the will of God as long as we all preach the Bible undiluted and stand under the Lordship of our lord Jesus. If we all follow is teachings and obey his commandments, then denominationalism is a blessing and not a course,’’ she said.

Student Loans for International Students

February 27, 2014

Financing an education to study abroad can be difficult for international students. Paying for college education in UK, USA, Australia and Canada is rather harder for them.If you are unable to obtain any scholarship or grant for your studies abroad, another option may be to take a loan to meet your costs. As the loan funding is dependent on the applicant’s country so international students may not qualify for them outside their home country.

Thousands of

students go abroad to join private universities to take undergraduate and masters degree courses. Although local students can receive loans in their country, but these valuable loans are not available for international students.

In USA, the citizen students can get government loans such as Stafford Loans which are not available for international students. However there are private bank loans and these can be available with the US cosigner.

In European Union, most full-time and part-time undergraduate students from the EU will receive a Tuition Fee Loan to pay for their college courses fee. There are maintenance grants and loans also available to help local students.

For international non-EU students the eligibility to get government loans can be complicated.

In UK, the majority of funding is derived from Government funds which is restricted to home (UK) students. This means international students are not eligible for UK Student Loans.

Bank Loans in USA for International Students

In USA, for international students that do not have the personal capital available to pay for the university degree programs, student loans may be obtained by banks.

Types of Loans for International Students

For international students, there are generally two types of loans you may apply for:

1. Loans from U.S. banks that require a U.S. based cosigner to guarantee the loan,
2. Loans from U.S. and international banks that do not require a U.S. based cosigner.

Loans from U.S. banks that require a U.S. based cosigner to guarantee the loan
Several US banks offer loans to international students who have a family member, relative or friend who is willing to cosign the loan. The cosigner (citizen or permanent resident) guarantees that the loan will be paid after you return to your home country.

The Guarantor must have a good Credit history and have to have a certain level of income.

Loans from U.S. and international banks that do not require a cosigner

Since the number of international students increasing in USA every year, there are companies who are offering student loans to international students without a US based cosigner. However these loans may require some sort of collateral to secure the loan.

There are some companies offering private loans for international and distance learning students that does not require a co-signer from another country. You should be careful here because they might charge much higher interest rates.

Popular Loans for International Students

International Student Loan Program (ISLP) and Study Abroad Loan Progam (SALP) is an alternative loan program for international students to study at approved US colleges and universities.

Global Student Loan Corporation (GSLC) offers student loans for international students. It do not require a US citizen or permanent resident to co-sign the loan.

Canadian Higher Education Loan Program (CanHELP) is an alternative loan program for Canadian college and university students to study in the USA and approved schools throughout the world.

Credila Financial Services offers private education loans to students from India. Credila is a subsidiary of the Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), the largest mortgage lender in India.

In the UK, the UK Council for International Student Affairs provides advice on fees, fees status, funding and student support for international students.

Home Country Study Loans

Easiest way to get student loan for studying abroad is to apply for loan in home country. It is easy to satisfy home country loan requirements on your own sold, however, no cosigner will be required.

Scholarships Alternatives

Whatever your means, there’s no need to fall into the student loans. Students can take their time, focus on their grades and test scores, and apply for several scholarships available for international students.

Cheaper Study Destinations Alternatives

Cost of studying in countries like UK, USA, Australia and Canada can go up to £10,000 to £40,000 per year for courses which may be studied cheaper in other countries.

Students should chose least expansive study destinations such as Germany and France where annual cost can be just £ 4200 per year.

Wishing you success!

Indu Dager

Read more: Student Loans for International Students : Blog Scholarships for International Students 2014
http://scholarship-positions.com 

CASSAVA FARMING: A WAY OUT OF POVERTY IN NIGERIA

Empowering church people through cassava farming and processing

I am the humble General Overseer of the House of Prayer Ministries for All Nations worldwide. I am also the National President of Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA). I desire to share my vision for Cassava Farming with fellow believers and indeed Church leaders in order for them to see the potentials in Cassava Project for individuals and collective prosperity of Nigeria.

There are many Church leaders today that have a heavy burden in their heart to empower their miserable followers in good business. For the reason that most successful Church leaders have academic background, their passion to empower has led them to establish Schools and Universities. Unfortunately cost of education in these Universities are beyond that which the greater percentage of their followers can afford. It is my belief that, reading through this message will inspire them on how they can use Cassava Project to help and empower their followers.

Cassava is that wonderful crop that provides numerous local food varieties to the Nigerian people. Foods derived from cassava include, Gari, Fufu, Lafun, Tapioka, Starch and others. Cassava is also raw material to Ethanol, Industrial Starch and Cassava Flour. These three items are raw materials to numerous utility products with limitless domestic and International market potentials. This is to say that cassava can trigger Industrial Revolution in Nigeria such that every Senatorial District can have very viable Cassava Processing Factory and engage millions of Nigerians in Cassava Farming and Processing.

Our Dependence on Oil.

Oil provides over 80% of revenue to the government of Nigeria. Recently there are indications that the reign of oil as money provider for Nigeria will soon end, in that oil has been discovered in large quantity in nearly all other West African Countries. Besides, Countries like Brazil, Columbia, Thailand and others now power their automobile with Ethanol which is a renewable energy. America, the major market for Nigeria oil has discovered more oil. America is planning to reduce drastically her dependence on imported oil. We need to know that Malaysia that took her first palm seed from Nigeria now make from palm products alone an income that is more than double what Nigeria make from oil yearly.

All the above are my reasons for this enlightment campaign as to why our nation  should embrace Cassava Farming and use cassava as alternative source of revenue for Nigeria Nation. Fortunately, cassava can be cultivated in the 36 States of Nigeria and also at FCT.

Empowerment of the people through Cassava Farming only requires acquisition of large expanse of cultivable land and clearing the bush. The land will be allocated to the participating farmers in blocks of 5, 10, 20 hectares according to individual ability. Farming system will be mechanized, a situation that will lead to a high yield of not less than 30mt and above per hectare. If one hectare yields 30mt, 10 hectares shall yield 300mt. Sold at N10,000 per ha, the farmer realizes 3 million Naira from 10 hectares.

Finance

The Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA) will arrange finance for cultivation process for every farmer through a tripartite arrangement that include Farmers, Off-takers and the Banks. This program is already in practice. It is also possible for Church Institutions to install Cassava Processing Plants in the vicinity of the farms.

Market Potentials

As I said earlier, market for Cassava products is limitless. For example, Cassava Bread requires 3,300mt of Cassava Flour daily, if we should include 20% Cassava Flour in our bread. This is to say Cassava Roots requirement daily is 13,200mt. In 320 working days of the year, it is 4,224,000mt. As for Industrial Starch, over 10million mt of Cassava is required while Ethanol can consume another 10 million mt.  If and where our cassava can be produced cheaply enough in order to have favourable competition in the world market, and where 5 million hectares out of the 84 million hectares of arable land in Nigeria is devoted to Cassava Cultivation, adequate market is assured. This will translate to 40 trillion Naira in a year.

We all know that the Lord Jesus cares. It was His caring heart that led Him to feed 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fishes. Our Church leaders are therefore expected to care for the wellbeing of their members.

The present government has opened a wonderful opportunity for farmers to prosper. The government is ready to join hand with various Institutions to clear cultivable land in hundreds and thousands of hectares across the nation. Opportunities abound to set up Cassava Milling Factories with ease. Finance of cultivation process with 75% CBN guarantee of loans is also available while interest rate on loan for Cassava Farming has been drastically reduced to a single digit of 8%. Added to the above is the willingness of many foreign investors to collaborate with Nigeria Institutions in Cassava Project. Moreover subsidies of various dimensions are available for both Cassava Farming and Processing.

 I therefore throw the challenge to various Institutions including Public and Private Schools, Christian and Islamic Institutions, Corporate and Cooperative bodies, Retirees and various individuals to register immediately with Nigeria Cassava Growers Association directly through the following Banks;

Account name: Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA)                                                        Bank                                      Account No  

Union Bank Plc                    0037233874   

First Bank Plc                       2020748041

Zenith Bank Plc                   1010766357

                                                Unity Bank                            0020742614

Meetings and Seminars will be held for further enlightenment of the program. National office of NCGA is 1019 Gimbiya Street Area 11 Garki Abuja. Phone numbers that can be contacted for further enquiries are:

National Vice President                  -           08032110025

National Secretary                           -           08037125019 

National Treasurer                          -           08035958998

National PRO                                   -           08034590374

Assistant National Secretary          -           08065474621

Desk Officer                                      -           08037201126

Email address is nigeriacassavagrowers@gmail.com

                                                                                                Pastor Segun Adewumi

                                                                                                08039425631

                                                                                                pastorsegunadewumi@gmail.com

HOMOSEXUALITY IS NOT A CHOICE

By Dan Eden ©2011 for viewzone.
Recently I was asked to update a decade old article summarizing the scientific research on the cause of homosexuality. This present article will give a general summary of what dozens of scientific journals have concluded over the past 10 years. While more is known about the different regions (nuclei) of specific parts of the brain and the exact mechanisms involved, the basic conclusion of this research remains unchanged.Homosexuality effects from 8% to 15% of all males and slightly less for females. To put this in context, there are as many gays and lesbians in America today (2011) as there are unemployed citizens. Most carry the burdon of hiding their sexual identity for fear of being disrespected or mistreated by the general population who remain ignorant to the causes and circumstances of homosexuality. This is puzzling in light of the plethora of investigative work that has been done on the phenomenon.A Review of Scientific Research on HomosexualityIn 1959 a report was published with the title, "Organizing action of prenatally administered testosterone propionate on the tissues mediating mating behavior in the female guinea pig" by Charles H. Phoenix, Robert W. Goy, Arnold A. Gerall, and William C. Young [6]. This was one of those "animal studies" -- of interest only to psychologists and neurologists. In 1991, the popular journal, Science, published a paper that revisited the 1959 report and included many more recent studies. Their paper came to the conclusion:

"This finding indicates that INAH [part of the hypothalamus] is dimorphic with sexual orientation, at least in men, and suggests that sexual orientation has a biological substrate." [4]

Ever since Science published the article, I've been waiting for the big changes. But they have been slow. Public opinion still maintains that homosexuals have chosen to live a deviant lifestyle. Some of the worst hate towards homosexuals -- from an anti-homosexual religious group that targets veteran's funerals [below] -- comes from the belief that it is a chosen lifestyle.Ignorance about the cause of homosexuality has been responsible for many teen suicides as well as violence against teens who are perceived as different by their classmates. School officials, even parents of homosexual children, do little to clarify this condition and seem often to turn away from the issue all together. Many church leaders continue to equate homosexuality as a sin, suggesting that through prayer they could be "made whole." The husband of one of the top Republican presidential candidates runs a clinic, claiming to be able to "cure" homosexuality as if it were merely a bad decision. This view is echoed in many religious churches, based on the writings of Apostle Paul:

"Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." -- I Corinthians 6:9-11 (NIV)

What's going on here? Can homosexuality be "washed away" with Conservative beliefs?Homosexuality: Born That WayThe Conservapedia states that:

"The causes of homosexuality are attributable to man's sinful nature, nurture and environment, and personal choice." [5]

But scientific research directly contradicts this.Homosexuality is a congenital condition much like being "left handed". Before you dismiss the analogy remember there were times in history when being left-handed (the archaic meaning of "sinister") meant you were possessed by evil. You could have been hanged, burned, stoned to death or buried alive. Having personally lived in an Arab country, I can assure you that being left-handed was something that I did my best to hide. Today we know that left handedness is the result of excess testosterone slowing the growth of the left-hemisphere in the developing fetal brain.[2] It's not a choice. It's a condition.Ironically, homosexuality is caused much the same way as being left-handed. Instead of excess testosterone, the developing male fetus receives too little, often too late.Researchers naturally focus on an organ in the brain called the hypothalamus because it is known to be responsible for gender preference. It is also what is called dimorphic, meaning its structure is different in males and females. There's also differences in the hypothalamus between homosexuals and heterosexuals. Recent studies of the different sections or nuclei have revealed much that was not known before. And there have also been some surprises.With advances in laboratory technology, a specific region of the hypothalamus, called the sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN), has been the focus of some interesting research. The SDN is the most conspicuous anatomical male/female difference in the mammalian brain. The nuclei is 3 to 8 times larger in males than in females. Another nuclei of the hypothalamus, INAH-3, reveals that heterosexual males have double the volume of both homosexual and female subjects.

"As has been reported previously, INAH 3 was more than twice as large in the heterosexual men as in the women. It was also, however, more than twice as large as in the homosexual men." [4]

A review of current research shows that there is no evidence supporting a social cause for homosexuality [8, 9]. On the contrary, there are multiple studies, both with animals and humans, demonstrating the causative relationship with the pre-natal testosterone during a critical stage in "defeminization".Dr. Harry Harlow's famous studies with Rhesus monkeys [5] demonstrated that such things as love and the ability to nurture healthy children was a learned skill that could be altered by after birth experiences. This non-biologic effect may play a role in female homosexuality and may also be a contributing factor in the degree to which congenital homosexuality is either expressed or repressed. But they do not cause homosexuality. How Do Brains Get Gender?Embryology teaches that early embryos all start out as female. At some point in early gestation, if the chromosomes destine the fetus to be male, the embryo is altered by the genetically programmed addition of certain hormones, called androgens. These androgens, especially testosterone, instruct the embryo to develop male characteristics. In their absence, the embryo continues to develop into a female. An "XX" pair of chromosomes will yield a female; an "XY" pair will result in a male. The "X" is always contributed from the mother (since she has only "X's"), but the father can contribute either an "X" or a "Y"-- so it is the father's genetic contribution that determines the gender of the child. If homosexual men have "XY" pairs which are typically male in all respects, what makes their hypothalamus different? In a paper published almost a quarter of a century ago, a research psychologist at Villanova University was also puzzled about gender. Dr. Ingebog Ward was studying the sexual behavior of rats, years before the role of the hypothalamus was even suspected of gendering human brains. [6]Dr. Ward divided some pregnant rats into three groups. Suspecting that something special might be happening in the early stages of pregnancy, she subjected the first group to stress during the first ten days of gestation by irritating the mother rats to bright lights, noise and annoying vibrations. Ten days in a rat's pregnancy corresponds to the first trimester (3 months) of a human pregnancy. The second group was subjected to stress towards the end of their pregnancy, just before birth. The third group was comprised of male offspring from both prenatal stressed mothers and unstressed mothers. These babies were subjected to the same stress producing stimuli.Dr. Ward then allowed all the males to grow to adulthood without further interference. She then placed each group of males in cages with healthy females to observe their ability and desire to mate with normal adult females. Here is what happened:

"Abstract: Male rats were exposed to prenatal (i.e. before they were born) or postnatal (after they were born) stress, or both. The prenatally stressed males showed low levels of male copulatory behavior and high rates of female lordotic responding (i.e. "lordotic" refers to mounting behavior which usually occurs during mating). Postnatal stress had no effect. The modifications are attributed to stress-mediated alterations in the ratio of adrenal to gonadal androgens during critical stages of sexual differentiation. Specifically, it appears that stress causes an increase in the weak adrenal androgen, androstendione, from the maternal fetal adrenal cortices, or both, and a concurrent decrease in the potent gonadal androgen, testosterone." [6]

If the baby carries "XY" chromosomes and is destined to become a male, testosterone needs to activate the newly forming hypothalamus. This is the first known critical phase of "defeminization" when something can go awry, upsetting the master plan.[10] If a mother is stressed during the early stages of pregnancy, she will release an adrenaline related hormone into her shared bloodstream with her unborn baby. This hormone, called androstendione, is structurally similar to testosterone, the male hormone. Both are androgens, but testosterone is more than twenty times as potent as androstendione.It has also recently been suggested that testosterone actually breaks down to estradiol in some way that androstendione may not [12, 15], further implicating this androgen in disrupting the process of early brain development.Because the stress hormone seems to mimic testosterone, there is the delay or blockage of the effectiveness of testosterone, even if it is plentiful. This causes a disturbance in the "defeminization" of the hypothalamus [7]. In 1972, Dr. Ward had no idea that androstendione in male pregnancies would prevent or inhibit the hypothalamus to develop into a healthy male brain, but this stress-related hormone now appears to do just that. The brain makes its gender commitment very early in development and, once committed to either male or female, it can not change. The interference with environmental testosterone in the later stages of pregnancy does little or nothing to inhibit gender development of the body. By mid-pregnancy, the gonads can produce enough systemic testosterone to develop the body along male plans; however, problems do happen in these later stages [11]. Sometimes the receptors which receive testosterone are defective or greatly reduced in number. This is generally seen as a defect resulting from the initial blocking of testosterone by the presence of other androgens [7]. This can inhibit the effectiveness of testosterone and cause a less effective defeminization.In Doctor Ward's own words:

"...The present data support the hypothesis that exposure of pregnant rats to environmental stressors modifies the normal process of sexual behavior differentiation in male fetuses by decreasing functional testosterone and elevating androstenedione levels during prenatal development. During stress conditions plasma testosterone emanating from the gonads decreases while adrenal androstenedione rises. The molecular structure of the two androgens, being very similar, it is postulated that the two hormones compete for the same receptor sites. Since androstenedione is a less potent androgen than testosterone, the decrease in male copulatory ability and increased lordotic potential seen in the prenatally stressed animals of the present study would be expected. The relative difference in potency between testosterone and androstendione has been repeatedly demonstrated. [Ibid.]

But Why?As we begin to understand that homosexuality is not inherited, we note that it occurs in more or less the same frequency of the population. This could suggest that a preference for one's own gender served some evolutionary benefit. If not, we should expect the perceived vulnerability of the developing fetal brain to have been corrected. But what could the benefit be?Again, in Doctor Ward's own words:

"The resulting alterations in sexual behavior provide the basis for an effective population control mechanism, since offspring so affected would not possess the behavioral repertoire necessary to contribute to population growth. Thus, the environment, by triggering an adrenal stress response, may control the reproductive capacity of successive generations of differentiating fetuses and, thereby, population size. "

[Some more recent explanations from a 2010 ScienceDaily article can be found at the bottom of this page.] What about Lesbians?The developing female fetus is expecting no pre-natal testosterone. This molecule is significant only if the fetus is destined to be male. Androstenedione, produced by maternal stress, closely resembles testosterone. Even a small amount of this molecule during the critical first trimester of pregnancy could be enough to make the developing hypothalamus defeminized or masculine. So the same mechanism can possibly explain both male and female homosexuality.Now what?I approached some homosexual blogs before posting this article on viewzone. I summarized the facts and asked for their replies. Some were critical of calling their gender preference a "condition" and thought that implied a defect. Others reminded me that even the anti-discrimination laws often only include protection against discrimination based on sex (meaning male of female) and that being recognized as a congenital phenomenon would only be protected if (a) it was considered a "disability" or (b) homosexuality would be covered under sex discrimination (meaning that a third gender would have to be added). In short, there was a kind of apathy.What do you think about this?

Notes:[1] Swaab, DF, Hofman, MA, "Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus in relation to gender and sexual orientation", Trends Neuroscience 1995 June, 18(6): 264-70.[2] NORMAN GESCHWIND, PETER BEHANI!,Left-handedness: Association with immune disease, migraine, and developmental learning disorder,Proc. Nati Acad. Sci. USA, Vol. 79, pp. 5097-5100, August 1982 [3] Exp Clin Endocrinol. 1983 Jan;81(1):83-7. Stressful events in prenatal life of bi- and homosexual men. Dorner G, Schenk B, Schmiedel B, Ahrens L. [4] S. LaVay, "A difference in hypothalamic structure between heterosexual and homosexual men", Science 30 August 1991, Vol. 253 no.5023 pp 1034-1037[5] http://www.conservapedia.com/Causes_of_Homosexuality[6] "Parental Stress Feminizes and Demasculizes the Behavior of Males", Science, January 7, 1972 (83-84).[7] Swaab DF, Chung WC, Kruijver FP, Hofman MA, Ishunina TA., "Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus", Adv Exp Med Biology, 2002;511:75-100; discussion 100-5[8] Dohler, KD, "The pre- and postnatal influence of hormones and neurotransmitters on sexual differentiation of the mammalian hypothalamus", Int Rev Cytology, 1991;131:1-57.[9] Savic I, Garcia-Falgueras A, Swaab DF., "Sexual differentiation of the human brain in relation to gender identity and sexual orientation", Prog Brain Res., 2010;186:41-62.[10] Kula K, Słowikowska-Hilczer J., "Sexual differentiation of the human brain", Przegl Lek. 2000;57(1):41-4.[11] Bradley SJ, Oliver GD, Chernick AB, Zucker KJ., "Experiment of nurture: ablatio penis at 2 months, sex reassignment at 7 months, and a psychosexual follow-up in young adulthood", Pediatrics,1998 Jul;102(1):e9.[12] Wu MV, Manoli DS, Fraser EJ, Coats JK, Tollkuhn J, Honda S, Harada N, Shah NM., "Estrogen masculinizes neural pathways and sex-specific behaviors", Cell, 2009 Oct 2;139(1):61-72.[13] Balthazart J, Tlemçani O, Ball GF., "Do sex differences in the brain explain sex differences in the hormonal induction of reproductive behavior? What 25 years of research on the Japanese quail tells us", Horm Behav. 1996 Dec;30(4):627-61.[14] Wallen K., "The Organizational Hypothesis: Reflections on the 50th anniversary of the publication of Phoenix, Goy, Gerall, and Young (1959)", Horm Behav. 2009 May;55(5):561-5.[15] W.J. Friedman, B.S. McEwen, C.D. Toran-Allerand and J.L. Gerlach, "Perinatal development of hypothalamic and cortical estrogen receptors in mouse brain: Methodological aspects", Accepted 14 June 1983.  Available online 11 March 2003.

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 26, 2009) -- Prenatal sex-based biological differences extend to genetic expression in cerebral cortices. The differences in question are probably associated with later divergences in how our brains develop. This is shown by a new study by Uppsala University researchers Elena Jazin and Bjorn Reinius, which has been published in the latest issue of the journal Molecular Psychiatry. Professor Elena Jazin and doctoral student Bjorn Reinius at the Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology previously demonstrated that genetic expression in the cerebral cortices of human beings and other primates exhibits certain sex-based differences. It is presumed that these differences are very old and have survived the evolutionary process. The purpose of the new study was to determine whether they appear during the process of brain development or first upon the conclusion of that process. Identifying the initial genetic mechanisms that prompt the brain to develop in a female or male direction is a long-range research objective.The Uppsala University researchers analysed data, on the basis of sex, from another extensive study of the prenatal human brain."The results show that many of the genes situated on the Y chromosome are expressed in various parts of the brain prior to birth and probably provide a developmental basis for the sex-based differences exhibited by adult brains," according to Elena Jazin.More than a third of Y-chromosomal genes appear to be involved in sex-based human brain differentiation. Some of the genetic activity in question is evident in the adult brain, while other of it only appears at earlier stages of brain development. It is yet unknown whether the differences in genetic expression among female and male brains have any functional significance."The findings are consistent with other factors, such as environment, also playing a role in how we develop," emphasizes Elena Jazin.Knowledge of the development of sex-based brain differences is of potential significance for the treatment of brain disturbances and diseases. A large number of psychiatric illnesses, including depression and autism, affect men and women differentially."Taking account of sex-based differences is crucial to the study of normal and abnormal brain activity," according to Elena Jazin.Some further reading:*Symmetry Of Homosexual Brain Resembles That Of Opposite Sex *Article in Salon Magazine *Stressful events in prenatal life of bi- and homosexual men. *Dresden, German & related studies *Rat Studies *Prenatal Stress Studies *A test of the maternal stress theory of human male homosexuality Recent Article from ScienceDaily February 2010: Potential Evolutionary Role for Same-Sex AttractionMale homosexuality doesn't make complete sense from an evolutionary point of view. It appears that the trait is heritable, but because homosexual men are much less likely to produce offspring than heterosexual men, shouldn't the genes for this trait have been extinguished long ago? What value could this sexual orientation have, that it has persisted for eons even without any discernible reproductive advantage? One possible explanation is what evolutionary psychologists call the "kin selection hypothesis." What that means is that homosexuality may convey an indirect benefit by enhancing the survival prospects of close relatives. Specifically, the theory holds that homosexual men might enhance their own genetic prospects by being "helpers in the nest." By acting altruistically toward nieces and nephews, homosexual men would perpetuate the family genes, including some of their own.Two evolutionary psychologists, Paul Vasey and Doug VanderLaan of the University of Lethbridge, Canada tested this idea for the past several years on the Pacific island of Samoa. They chose Samoa because males who prefer men as sexual partners are widely recognized and accepted there as a distinct gender category -- called fa'afafine -- neither man nor woman [right]. The fa'afafine tend to be effeminate, and exclusively attracted to adult men as sexual partners. This clear demarcation makes it easier to identify a sample for study.Past research has shown that the fa'afafine are much more altruistically inclined toward their nieces and nephews than either Samoan women or heterosexual men. They are willing to babysit a lot, tutor their nieces and nephews in art and music, and help out financially -- paying for medical care and education and so forth. In a new study, the scientists set out to unravel the psychology of the fa'afafine, to see if their altruism is targeted specifically at kin rather than kids in general.They recruited a large sample of fa'afafine, and comparable samples of women and heterosexual men. They gave them all a series of questionnaires, measuring their willingness to help their nieces and nephews in various ways -- caretaking, gifts, teaching -- and also their willingness to do these things for other, unrelated kids. The findings, reported on-line this week in the journal Psychological Science, lend strong support to the kin selection idea. Compared to Samoan women and heterosexual men, the fa'afafine showed a much weaker link between their avuncular -- or uncle like -- behavior and their altruism toward kids generally. This cognitive dissociation, the scientists argue, allows the fa'afafine to allocate their resources more efficiently and precisely to their kin -- and thus enhance their own evolutionary prospects.To compensate for being childless, each fa'afafine would have to somehow support the survival of two additional nieces or nephews who would otherwise not have existed. "If kin selection is the sole mechanism by which genes for male same-sex sexual attraction are maintained over time," the fa'afafine must be "super uncles" to earn their evolutionary keep, explains Vasey. Consequently, Vasey suggests "that the fa'afafine's avuncularity probably contributes to the evolutionary survival of genes for male same-sex sexual attraction, but is unlikely to entirely offset the costs of not reproducing."Do these findings have any meaning outside of Samoa? Yes and no. Samoan culture is very different from most Western cultures. Samoan culture is very localized, and centered on tight-knit extended families, whereas Western societies tend to be highly individualistic and homophobic. Families are also much more geographically dispersed in Western cultures, diminishing the role that bachelor uncles can play in the extended family, even if they choose to. But in this sense, the researchers say, Samoa's communitarian culture may be more -- not less -- representative of the environment in which male same-sex sexuality evolved eons ago. In that sense, it's not the bachelor uncle who is poorly adapted to the world, but rather the modern Western world that has evolved into an unwelcoming place.